TALLAHASSEE – The No 4 Florida State softball team (3-1) used a walk-off single from freshman Isa Torres to take down Texas Tech (2-2), 9-8, then cruised past Florida A&M (0-3), 9-0 in five innings to finish Saturday 2-0 at the JoAnne Graf Classic.Game One vs. Texas Tech
Texas Tech came out swinging and scored two runs in the first inning on three hits to take the early lead.
After a standstill for two-and-a-half innings, the Seminoles answered with two runs in the bottom of the third. Jaysoni Beachum singled, and Isa Torres walked put runners on first and second. Ashtyn Danley moved the runners to second and third on a groundout, and Jahni Kerr brought Beachum home on an infield single to cut the lead to one. The Seminoles then sent Kerr on the move to steal second, and Torres scampered home on the throw to tie the game.
Texas Tech answered with a home run in the top of the fourth, but the Seminoles answered right back as Amaya Ross hit just her second home run in the past two seasons to tie the game. The scoring continued for the Seminoles as Beachum drew a walk and Danley reached on an error putting two on for Kerr. Kerr crushed a home run to give the Seminoles a 6-3 lead.
The Red Raiders stormed back with five runs in the top of the fifth to take an 8-6 lead.
Ross continued her strong outing with a one-out triple, and Beachum earned the RBI on a groundout to cut the lead to one.
Allison Royalty kept the Red Raiders in check to give the Seminoles a shot in the bottom of the seventh inning. Walks by Beachum and Wacaser and a Devyn Flaherty single loaded the bases for Torres with two outs. The freshman delivered with a groundball that snuck past the shortstop to bring Flaherty and Wacaser home to give the Seminoles the win.
Game Two vs. Florida A&M
The Seminoles opened the scoring early in the bottom of the first inning. Kerr singled to right field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Torres then singled to shortstop, which helped Kerr advance to third. Kalei Harding hit a single and advanced to second on the throw, allowing Kerr to add the first run to the board.
Michaela Edenfield followed that with a three-run home run on an 0-2 count to bring the score to 4-0 at the end of the first inning.
After a scoreless second inning, Ross drew a leadoff walk, and Beachum crushed her first collegiate home run to give the Noles a 6-0 lead. Wacaser kept the momentum going with a single, and after stealing second, Kerr picked up another RBI to make the score 7-0 after three innings.
Still in the third, Hallie Wacaser hit a single to right field and stole second. Wacaser then reached home off a Kerr single to center field bringing the score to 7-0 at the end of the third.
In the fourth inning, Angelee Bueno and Katie Dack drew back-to-back walks, and after Wacaser reached on a fielders choice, Kaley Mudge drove both runners home to give the Noles a 9-0 lead..
Freshman Mimi Gooden made her first career start in the circle and was terrific posting a complete game shutout. Gooden pitched all five innings while allowing just three hits and striking out four.
Florida State plays its final game in the JoAnne Graf Classic against Florida A&M on Sunday, February 11 at 12:30 p.m. on ACCNX.
